How can one find his/her self worth in today’s world when it seems that if you weren’t SOF, you are just average?

Sadly, I take the opposite view. With so many folks (seemingly) in SOF nowadays, it’s not very special at all. According to the media, the only folks doing anything in the military is SOF. Hopefully we can go back to the days where SOF can return to the shadows where they belong.

What makes you think you’re average. If you’re not satisfied with you, do something about it. Be your bet at whatever you do. If you’re a rifleman be the best shot you can be, be the best you can be at reading maps. Be the best you can be at PT, be the best leader you can be. None of it’s easy it takes dedication, training, asking questions, etc.. You are the key not your unit. You have to be satisfied with you. When you are everything comes together. Good Luck at whatever you do, you’re in control. :-)

You are an infantryman. You are not average. You probably have many Rangers and SF qualified senior NCO's in your squad, platoon, and company. Every line unit I was ever in had their fair share of SOF operators and they trained us, and I am sure they are training you as well.

Sergeant, the best commercial the Army had was the one that ran for over a decade, the "Be All You Can Be." Be the best damn Sergeant you can be, and measure your accomplishments not against everybody else but against what you want to achieve. Compete fiercely but against standards, not against others. The services are full of stories of those who had no business on paper being where they were; Audie Murphy, SGT Morales, Roger Young. Read To Hell and Back by Murphy and then watch the film. Murphy was just the best soldier he could be, worked harder than anyone else and always looked for ways to take better care of his buddies, his soldiers and his Army.
Morales serves as a role model for NCOs everywhere -- you excel when your soldiers excel; it's one damned Army, not an Arm of one, and Morales demonstrated that, despite a lot of challenges. Roger Young was a Guardsman who had to memorize the eye chart so he could pass the physical; and was killed in the Battle of New Georgia in the Solomons, in action taking out an enemy machine gun position so that his patrol could withdraw following an ambush. Young had damaged vision and hearing; in fact, he asked to be reduced in rank from SGT because he felt he was not capable of being a squad leader due to his physical limitations. Although he had the opportunity to get treatment for his hearing during the Solomons' campaign, he did not want to be absent during the New Georgia campaign. For his action, Young was a recipient of the Medal of Honor.

None of these heroes were enlistment poster, superstar looking soldiers. They were rather men of honor, patriotism and loyalty who really were driven to be all they could be. Do the same thing. The DISCOM of the 9th Infantry Division(Motorized) adopted as their motto, " Do your duty. No soldier can do less; no one can expect more." And, if you give all you have, young Sergeant, you'll really be all you can be. No one should expect more.

OK, let me point out how far from average you gone so far. 71 percent of the recruiting age individuals don't qualify because of physical condition/problems, legal problems or educational shortcomings. So congratulations, your already in the nations top 29 percent. You passed Infantry OSUT, the service wide dropout rate for all branches is 11-14%, so now you are in the top 25 percent of your peers. You are also one the 14 percent or so Americans Citizens with Military Service, now your in the 14 percent of any age group that have chosen service to the nation.
Even with National Guard unit, you will end up either being trained by or lead by Rangers and Army Special Forces, a number of my Drills were Green Beret and most the remaining had Ranger Tabs. I have a lot of respect for their training and what they do, but as mentioned before that they train for a narrow set of missions and fighting Wars like Gulf I and the Invasion of Iraq is left to the people with the personnel and firepower. And don't discount other units because they don't get the Press, all infantry units are tough, but I would put up units like 10th Mountain and the 101st up against any infantry in the world.

I'm not Special Forces or ever aspired to be but I'm not average either. We all have our own calling and to excel in what We do moves us beyond just average. Whatever You do make an honest effort to do the best You can and You will be always be above average. Nothing comes without effort.

Audie Murphy was a regular line grunt.

I believe you are confusing perceived value and self worth.

I concur with my brothers here. 1, NEVER EVER judge your self worth by others, its YOURS, not theirs. Speaking as a 4 conflict vet, there were many times I wish I wasn't the tip of the spear, when 1 of my kids was covered with a poncho. 2. If you believe the media, the you have a very serious problem, they have a lousy track record these days. 3. If you do the best you can in any situation, then you are not AVERAGE, you are EXCEPTIONAL!

Sarge, *placing my big bear paw down softly on your shoulder as I gaze deeply into your eyes*, listen to me carefully, you are NOT average. I think I know where you are coming from. There are days I've looked in the mirror and asked myself: Who am I, what am I doing, where am I, and who's that person on my sofa. I'd sit there and grease my barrel, long and hard, pondering the meaning of everything, and asking myself whether I'm average or something more. I dug deep down, deep deep down, and found meaning in the empty cartridges littering my living room floor. Lock and load, you'll find your self worth within.